We are
by fleurinka24
Summary: Everyone in Atlantis loved Sam Carter as a leader but now there is a new one. And she needed to learn how to run this place.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own anything. This is just a fanfiction based on TV series SG Atlantis. For some parts of this story where were used lines from the original scripts. And I'm sorry about level of my English, it's not my mother tongue. **

She just couldn't believe what she saw. At the exact moment Daedalus dropped her here, it all became so real… Of course, she knew Atlantis was real. But something inside her was keeping it all so far away. But now she was there. She was in the lost city of Atlantis, the long gone city of Anciens… And it was so beautiful…

„And who the hell are you, woman?" asked somebody heading her direction.

„You must be John Sheppard. I was told you won't be happy about having me here…" she paused. What the hell was she doing here? How could she deal with these people? „My name is Cathrine Pierce. I'm new leader of Atlantis."

„And where the hell is Sam?" he asked. She could see the gleam of shock behind his eyes. She was here and for him it was great deal of bad news.

„She's not coming back, Colonel Carter was called back by the IOA. I'm here to make sure everything's working until Mr. Woolsey sorts out things for his depart from Earth." There it was. The Woolsey thing. She was not to stay forever. But he was.

„You telling me we'll get Woolsey as a leader?" Said the other man coming from behind.

„That's exactly what I'm sayig. And you are?"

„That's McKay. And why exactly you got to be here for a month before Woolsey comes in? Because I think there's no need for anyone to make sure things are working," Sheppard continued. „And how old are you, sixteen? You're just a child, you can't rule Atlantis."

„For your information, I'm twenty-five. And I'm here just because O'Neill thinks I need to get more off world than just off Earth around Milky Way…" she walked around two men standing before her. „And you might not be happy about that decision but there's nothing you could do about it, is it?" She asked looking in Sheppard's face. „Now, I probably need some place to stay, so I would be really grateful you could show me off to my room and I wouldn't mind if you could quickly fill me in with things around here." She picked up handrail of her suitcase and looked back at John with raised eyebrow. He had nothing to say to that, he couldn't argue with someone he barely knew about thing that didn't belong to his competence. So he just nodded and show her the way.

„I should probably let you unpack and change, so I'll wait in the hall," he offered after showing her her room.

„There's no need for that. I can unpack later and I'm not gonna change anyway. Plus, there are so many thing I need to learn about this place in such a short time…" she smiled. „If you of course don't get tired being my guide."

„Not at all," he returned the smile. She knew exactly what he was thinking. Some crazy girl in her little black dress and killer-high heels is gonna run around his base just because the IOA said so. He wasn't exactly thrilled but who would be? She wasn't thrilled about being here either. She offered herself just so she could piss off Woolsey. She never thought they would really send her in. But O'Neill knew better. Now she just had to make her best of it. There was no way she would fail this assignment. She would rather be dead than fail it and let Woolsey win.

„Who is she?" That question was pointed directly to Sheppard. And the one who was asking was unbelievably tall man with dreadlocks. In the moment she saw him she knew he will be trouble. She just couldn't tell why.

„This is our new leader… for this month," sighted John. „This is Ronon Dex, he's a member of my team. Fromely from Sateda." She raised her hand to a handshake but that guy just stood there looking over her from heels up.

„Why is she wearing hells?" he asked.

„Do I have a reason not to?"

„He ment that… women around here don't wear high hells very often. We're more of these uniform types, you know…" Sheppard tried to make it up for his friend but he knew he couldn't.

„I don't believe this is what he ment. He pretty much ment that woman in high hells is dependant just because she admits she's woman at all. And I can't protect myself when I'm wearing hells…" She looked him in the eyes and she saw it all. He thought she was weak. But she wasn't. And even if she was, she couldn't let him think that. She wouldn't let anyone think that. He just nodded. That was exactly his point. She was a woman and he was not going to respect her until she earns that respect. „Try to take me down," she offered. She has nothing to lose. She either earns his respect or she won't…

„That's not such a great idea," Sheppard interfered. But her eyes were locked on Ronon. She could tell he was thinking about letting her go. But he didn't. Thankfully, she could easily predict his every move. He fought like every other man who doesn't really want to fight. So it took her just few seconds to take him down. So he ended up lying on the ground, her heel pointed to his groin.

„Should I really show you how weak I am?" she asked. There was no sight of joking in her face. But there was slight hint of fear in his. „Don't play with me, Satedan, or I show you how sharp my heels are." She slowly removed her leg and looked back at John. „Shall we continue our tour?"

Later that day, she met Teyla, Jennifer Keller, Major Lorne and one of the most important people from tech support, Chuck. She was also introduced to Radek Zelenka and they immediately started talking in Czech which got John confused. She was not Czech by the name but her mother was and she learned her her own mother tongue because she thought it might get her to come back to the Czech republic one day…

No drama, she was repeating to herself while she was falling asleap in her new bad. She could have done this, she can rule this place. She got all the support from Jack, Daniel and Sam back on Earth. There was no way this could go wrong…


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own anything. This is just a fanfiction based on TV series SG Atlantis. For some parts of this story where were used lines from the original scripts. And I'm sorry about level of my English, it's not my mother tongue.**

She couln't believe this was happening. These three weeks she was here in Atlantis everything went just fine so far. She sticked to the rutine and peple even stopped giving her the looks while she was wearing dresses and heels. And she wouldn't give up that. She knew they didn't like her. After Dr. Weir and after Sam, they had no idea what to expect from someone like her. And the fact she was here just until Woolsey come gave her no plus points. Only person who somehow respected her was Ronon. After the incident the first day he would be crazy not to. He underestimated her and he knew he could pay for this mistake. So he either ignored her or tried to be nice. She appreciated it.

She kept filing the reports from off world missions and they were mostly succesful. When trouble came up, teams got always out of it. Or one team in particular, Sheppard's. She had no problem with that. From Sam she learned they were the most complicated one but that they always got out just fine. So she learned to trust Sheppard judgement, he was the head of security anyway…

But this time, it was more than simple Wraith-related trouble. This was some serious shit and entire Atlantis was in it.

Few weeks ago, Sheppard's team was invited to represent Atlantis during the meeting of leaders from all the worlds across Pegasus galaxy and the IOA agreed. They thought it would be good if they'd joint the coalition. The thought this could be a trap never came across their minds. But it was. Myrus came and told her right after her people were relocated. He said he only thought it was fair to let her know about the trial. Trial where Sheppard's team was held responsible for everything wrong what happened in this galaxy. She got him locked up in a cell. She needed time to think about it because right now, she felt like loosing it all.

She decided. She made a deal with Myrus. He would take her to the place they held Sheppard's team and then she would deal with it. It was the only possible was.

„What the hell are you doing here?" Sheppard asked when he saw her coming through the doors of their cell.

„I'm here to take over your defence," she said calmly.

„Jesus, woman, what defence are you talking about? They've got it all figured out already. There's nothing we can do or say, they'll going to kill us anyway!" He yelled at her. It was the first time he actually gave her any emotional reaction at all.

„Maybe… Maybe not. Maybe I can win this case." She smiled a little. Like it was just a joke, just one of these test trials they've done in school so many times. She wished it would be just a joke…

„There's no case! You are fucking crazy! If you think you can just shake your ass before them and they'll let you go, you're wrong." Another yelling.

„Listen to me, Sheppard. They took you here for a reason. And that reason is that your team was always in the first line with every bullshit Atlantis walked into. But right now, I'm the one responsible for Atlantis. And I don't leave my people behind. I'm in charge so I'm supposed to be held responsible for everything that happend so far. If they decide to execute us, I'm going first! I'm the first in line!" Her voice was still perfectly calm. That was something that you learn being a journalist. Your voice always have to be urgent but calm at the same time.

„So? How was it?" It was Ronon asking. For the first time, he was talking directly to her. As an act of suprise, she raised her eyebrow.

„They proceed to the Replicators problem. I think I talked them out of this one. They cannot target us about something Aciens did thousands of years ago."

„You think? Jesus, you gonna make it even worse!" Sheppard. Not happy about anything so far. No wonder. She ignored him for a while.

„More important is – what can you tell me about the people who are prosecuting us? I learned that Shiara is from one of these planets destroyed by the Replicators. Her entire family died there. So we cannot count on her voting for us, more likely she'll do anything to take us down. On the other hand, Dimas seems to be reasonable. I could have persuade him to vote for us. But Kalore… I have no idea what can I expect from him. Do we know where is he from?" She was more talking to her self. She walked around the cell like crazy but she still couldn't figure out anything…

„I believe he was from Latira," Teyla said. Teyla. She was trying to be supportive all the time Catherine spent in Atlantis. She was a mother now and she still wasn't sure if she'll come back to the team. And Catherine didn't want the answer until Teyla was ready to give. She had no children of her own but she understood that. Teyla haven't decided yet but she still thought she would be good in this mission. And now she was stucked here without her baby. And she didn't know whether she'll come back or not.

„If I remember corectly, one of our last intelligence reports suggests a growing relationship between Latira… and the Genii." Trouble. Now it came across her face and she cannot held it from the others. She needed to sit down. This was bad. If Genii were behind this, they'll never come out of this alive. This was the time she would get drink. Or two. Or even more.

„So you really think you can win this case? If Genii are behind this…" Yeah, that was really something she needed to hear out loud from a head of security.

„We're screwed, I know." She nodded.

„I say we go to plan B," Ronon said. "Wait for the guards to come in, I beat 'em up, take their guns, we shoot our way out of here."

„In any other situation I would be with you on this one. But this is not just us anymore. It's whole Atlantis. And other people in this galaxy. Genii are clearly the biggest military power in this coalition. With us out of picture, they'd be able to take over the whole galaxy. And we won't be able to stop them. We're not sure if we can get out of here fast enough. We have no idea where we are, haven't we? If we'd possible get out, on the surface, assuming we are underground, which direction is the gate and how far?"

„There's a few things we'll have to figure out along the way." Again, she would agree with Sheppard any other time. But not now. This wasn't just any off world mission anymore.

„No. It's all too risky."

„What other choice do we have? I mean, we know we can't win this thing." McKay. All she needed right now was McKay doubting her.

„Not fairly. But if I can't play the trial, I can play the man." She smiled for a bit. She was game again. She was to speak with Kalore in private.

„As we had discussed all the charges, we will recess to deliberate." Dimas said and so they started to rise.

„I'd like to make one final statement, if I may."

„Very well."

„The Wraith are in disarray, but that won't last forever. Sooner or later, one faction will win out over the others. And when that happens, they will turn their attention to this Coalition with a ruthless vengeance, the likes of which you've never seen. If you don't want us there when that day comes fighting by your side, then by all means, vote us guilty." She was proud of what she said. She knew this was the right moment, she knew that if she wouldn't persuade Kalore right now, it would be all lost.

„I need no deliberation. I say we get this over with now." Shiara said. Dimas looked at Kalore and he nodded.

„Very well then."

„I vote guilty on all charges." Shiara. She could understand her, the pain she felt. She would probably do the same if she was in her place. The thing was, she wasn't in her place…

„I vote not guilty on all charges. It falls to you, Kelore. Yours is the deciding vote." Dimas looked at Kalore again. She forgot to breathe for a little while…

„Well? What's the word?" Sheppard asked.

„Not guilty. We're free to go." She looked at all of them. She haven't leave her people behind. She knew they won't be grateful or anything but she didn't expected any of that. She just couldn't leave them. Then something very strange happened. McKay hugged her. She didn't now why and he haven't said anything. But it was great deal to her. „Let's go." She just said. This was over and she couldn't wait to have a shower.

They got out of the portal and she knew all of them was relieved they're back. But right now, she was staring at the one person she wouldn't expected to be in Atlantis…

„General O'Neill." Sheppard talking. O'Neill just nodded, still staring at her face. For a while she felt like a little child knowing she'll be punished for something. And she didn't want to know what it will be.

„Jack!" She smiled. „What are you doing here?" She decided to not let him play her. „I wouldn't expect to see you here. Is Woolsey with you already?" She didn't really want to know the answer. They just stood there for a while, O'Neill staring at her, four people behind her back. She had no idea what to do.

„I leave you in charge of something for a minute and I hear you get yourself in some deep shit. What were you thinking?" He sounded pissed off but amused at the same time.

„I have no idea what are you talking about. There were no trouble. If you mean the trial, there was no reason to be worry about. I came along just to make sure none of them jump to some unpleasant conclusions."

„Unpleasant conclusions? Woman, you have to be kidding me! You were nearly sentenced dead and you knew it even before you got your pretty little ass in there." OK, now he sounded just pissed. „You think you can do this kind of decisions? You wanna got yourself into another suicide mission?"

„Jack, with all do respect, I know I can do this kind of decisions. I'm the one in charge of Atlantis right now and I'm the one being responsible for everything that happens now or happend before. And we both know that I'm not gonna leave my people behind just to save my own ass. Plus, I was the one who sent them in, so you should start with that in the first place." Now it was her who was pissed. „If you're here just to accuse me of something I haven't done wrong, you should have spare the journey. But I guess you're not here just to talk about my decisions, are you?"

„You right, I'm not here just because of that. But I think we should talk about it more privatly." She pointed him to her office quickly watching Sheppard's team. They just stood there. They didn't try to interfere. They didn't try to say anything…

„Mind if we sit?" O'Neill asked but he was already sitting at the table where the Sheppard's team along with Jennifer Keller and Major Lorne had lunch. She wanted to protest but when Sheppard looked at her and just nodded, she sat down. She was about to start eating when O'Neill punched her. „You aren't going to tell them the news?"

„What news?" Teyla asked. No one else seemed to give a damn. She sighted.

„Well… it seems like you're not going to have Woolsey around here after all." She was pleased with that fact but she knew the rest won't be thrilled.

„And who are we having then?" McKay asked while eating. For a while she just thought about not answering and just running away.

„You're having me." She could swear McKay nearly choked and tried to mask it in a weird kind of grin. Sheppard wasn't saying anything. Major Lorne didn't look like he mind and Dr. Keller either. Teyla looked almost pleased.

„That's not that bad," Ronon said smirking.

„That bad? You should be kissing her shoes right now! You get her instead of Woolsey. She's golden!" She just wanted O'Neill to shut up for a while.

„Let's not jump to the conclusion you made about me. Just because you think I'm likable doesn't mean that others will like me as well." She stood up and picked up her tray, turned her self around the spot and headed out. She wanted to be gone.

O'Neill left and she knew she will have to face it. Face all of them, this time for real. Until now, it was just a game. She here just for a while, no one would care. But now? She was supposed to rule this place and she had no idea how she's going to do that with everyone around hating her. But she needed to get out of her cocoon. So she called brief meeting. It was Sheppard's team again and Dr. Keller since she was the head of medical team right now. She knew about Dr. Beckett being in stasis chamber and she knew this was something they'll have to deal with in the first place. Plus, there were few things she was talking with Jennifer about of the record. It could be a great improvement in the Wraith situation. So she decided they better should start with this.

She knew John Sheppard wasn't happy about her being here but she couldn't tell why was that. He wasn't talking to her if it wasn't really neccesary and she felt more like he was crimping her all the time. Maybe because she was O'Neill's protégé. So she needed to talk about it with him as well. And she didn't want to be alone against hm.

„So I called in this meeting because I think we should sort out the way how things will be since now. I haven't change anything so far bacause I thought I won't be here for long, but it looks like I get to stay for some time. At least until I make some crappy mistakes. And not like I want change anything, but there are things we need to sort out. So I actually wanna ask you to trust me a little bit." She didn't like this kind of speeches. She wasn't a leader, she was always more a solitare. She haven't left anyone behind but she didn't really know how to make this work.

„And why should we trust you exactly? You're just a child, you're not a scientist, you're not military and now you're going to tell us how to do things around here? Just because O'Neill likes you? That's not a fact I would rely on." Sheppard stood up against her. So she had to face him right now. She stood up too.

„I know what you mean and I know I can't change your mind about it. But take it from the other side. Do you want Ronon go away? And Teyla? And all the Athosians as well? Do you want to just sit on your ass, stay where you are and wait until someone decides to attack Atlantis? Because if you want any of that, I can just connect with Earth and tell them I'm out of here. I'll handle them my resignation so they could send Woolsey in. He'll be thrilled I'm out of way and he can rule Atlantis. Playing all by the book, no exeption from his perfect rules. You really want that Sheppard?" She looked him right in the eye but she still couldn't tell he'll wall for this.

„John, I'm with her on this. Even I know that Woolsey will do that," Ronon said. She was suprised, more than ever. From all the people around, he was the most supportive. Ronon, that big guy with a gun. So she had to earn his respect after all.

„You keep talking about Woolsey coming here. You hate him that much you want him out of game?" That question was sharp and hard to answer. She had so many reasons why to hate Woolsey but she wanted to share none of them.

„Yes, I hate him," she sighted.

„So why don't you just tell us, why you hate him so much if you want us to trust you. No one likes Woolsey but he's just a man, isn't he?" She took a deep breath.

„Fine. You wanna know, I tell you. Most of things he've done were nothing, just simple mind games he likes to play to piss me off. But about a year ago, he was in charge of SG command when General Hammond was on vacation. He had me suspended for three weeks because of a security breach I was accused of causing which I didn't. Since I had to wait until Gen. Hammond'll come back, he had my team go on a mission off world. To a planet we knew nothing about, they had no idea what could have happend. And they never came back." She paused. She didn't know how to say this, bacause… it all haven't seem like such a big deal. She had no idea how they could understand her…

„So he practicaly saved your life?" asked Sheppard. He seemed amused. She didn't want him amused. She started to walk around the room.

„He might. But we both know better. The team I was working with for two years was left there. And I wasn't with them. Woolsey haven't tried to make any rescue mission. And when Hammond got back, IOA decided it was too late to do anything. I should be glad I wasn't there. That I'm still alive. But I'm not. And I think you know exactly what I mean, Sheppard. Every single time I close my eyes, I see faces of these four people," she paused again. It was all coming back. She felt desperate again. Helpless. „And these four people, they had their life before them. And I was the one who had to tell their families that lie we keep telling them. That they died on the mission. That I should be there with them, but I wasn't. One of these people, Ryan Phillips, he had a wife with a baby on it's way. I had to tell her that her child will never see it's father. The other one had six years old twins. And I had to tell them they will never see their father again. How is that fair? And every single time I start thinking about it, I always end up with that one single sentence: ‚What if?' ‚What if Woolsey let me go with them? Would I be any help? Would a fifth person make a difference? Or would I just die with them?' Because of Woolsey's decision, my life made a wrong turn. And every single time I just wish I'd rather be dead. With them or instead of them. All the believes I had I don't have anymore. Because of him, I left my people behind. And now I'm just trying to make up for that." Now, she was looking him right in the eye. „I believe everyone has something in their past they wish it didn't happen. Most of us are stuck with hating themselfs. I'm stuck with hating Woolsey. It won't change and he knows it. And everytime we meet, he's trying to make it even worse. So just tell me, what are ‚you' trying to make up for? Can I trust you?" She stopped standing there, staring at Sheppards face. He was just staring back. „You know what? You people should just think about me being here. You agree on somethink, tell me. We can continue this meeting than." She left the room without looking back. She had nothing else to say. She didn't even know if her „arguments" for hating Woolsey are that strong to stand in this case. What if ti was just all made up in her head? What if?

„I think you had no right to make her tell us this, John." Teyla was the first one to speak. „We never asked Elizabeth to defend herself in what she was thinking about people and so we did not with Sam. Catherine obviously told us something she don't tell people around a lot. I've felt great grief from her words. She earned our trust by coming for us during the trial that we were certain we would lose. She proved herself as a good person. So why do you keep doubting her?"

„You want to know why? Because she have no real experience with leading anyone. We don't know anything about her except that she's O'Neill's pet and we don't what she'll do next." He looked a bit furious but he slowly started reconsidering his conclution about this girl. He didn't want to bring her down. He just wanted her team to think about her.

„The fact O'Neill trusts her should be the main reason why we should trust her too," said Major Lorne. He liked that girl from the first time he heard about her knocking down Ronon. So he had no reason want her gone.

„She promised to support us in developing the cure for Carson's disease," Jennifer said quietly. „She also promised to bring a new light to that think with an anti-Wraith serum before IOA. You said she won the trial with the Coalition. It might not be the same but she could be persuating enough so they could allow it…"

„And if you look on it from our point of view, what could be worse that having Woolsey here? You hate him. I hate him. He would have us all suspended in no time and we would be screwed. She on the other hand had shown the will to learn what she doesn't know and I think it a good thing for a leader." McKay was willingly brought to Cathrine's side. He wished Sam would stay but… They could do a lot worse than that.

„Fine, fine!" John knew he have to surrender. „Ronon?" he turned to his friend.

„I already told you, I'm with her on this one. I respect her." That was all he had to say. When Ronon Dex respected someone, John knew he should trust him.

„All right, I'll go and tell her we can continue this meeting, OK?" He didn't wait for the answer and headed out of the door.


End file.
